Form Follows Function in Quality Patient Care

I have been involved with the identification and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea for over 25 years. I have seen a multitude of different products and strategies to provide patient care. It is not enough to simply identify a patient with sleep apnea. In my opinion this is when the work really starts. The medical professionals that treat these patients are required to consider many variables including lifestyle, concurrent disease and the patients willingness to comply with therapy. I am convinced that the best therapy is the one the patient will use. I have a close friend Dr Bradley Eli DDS who often says ” the first night a patient goes without therapy is the first night of the rest of their life”. It is therefore imperative when considering combination therapies to understand the importance of fit and function of CPAP patient interfaces. In spite of the millions of dollars and countless hours of engineering invested in cpap mask design, each patient is in fact different. Which leads me to a note by Bob Rutan who deserves recognition as perhaps the nations most avid CPAP patient advocate. Bob and Debbie Rutan have spent over 5 years travelling the country one DME provider to the next advocating for a simple enhancement to current thinking about CPAP masks…treat the patient as an individual- ed

Bob Rutan’s NoteBook

One of the most interesting things I have observed over the last five years of traveling the country meeting CPAP patients, is that CPAP has a magical effect on patients who can wear the mask all night long. In spite of the millions of dollars spent on designing new patient interfaces the one thing that is most often over looked is that all patient’s are different. Co morbidities, sensitivities and genetics sometimes allow a patient interface to be acceptable to one person, yet intolerable to the next. RemZzzs® is a product that works like a gasket to provide a soft hypo allergenic pad between the mask and the patients face, providing a better fit and reducing skin breakdown and allergic interactions.

Robert G. sent us the following letter. We were really happy he got a good result.

“Due to rising blood pressure, being borderline diabetic and suffering

from sleep apnea, it is mandatory for me to use a CPAP machine. Due to

restricted nasal passages, I also breathe through my mouth, so a full face

mask is required. Because of a skin allergy, my nose and cheeks break out from the mask cushion. The Remzzz’s liner is the only way that I can use my cpap effectively.

Prior to using the Remzzz’s liners, it was difficult to use the cpap the full 4 hours per night. Since I started using them, I’m now averaging 7.5 hours per night. In order for me to stay Medicare compliant with the CPAP, I have no choice but to use the liners. Being totally dependent on Social Security for income and Medicare and my supplement insurance, I desperately need the Remzzz’s face mask liners to be covered by Medicare.”